Drier.



F. P. HESS.

. DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6,1909. RENBWBD 11017.17, 1911.

` 1,020,695. Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Clttouwg P. P. HBSS.

, DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY e, 1909. BENEWBD Nov. 1v, 1911.

1,020,695. Patent-,ea Mar.19,1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

vwankoz wi hwomo attain,

1:". P. HESS.

DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY e, 1909. Bmmwnn Nov. 17. 1911.

1,020,695. Patented Mar,19,1912.

3 SHEETS-BEEF! 3.

nuenl'on annum,

' tary cylinder having 1ts periphery UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN r. nnssfor LYNN, MAssAcHUsmrs, AssIGNOR, BY mnsNn ASSIGNMENTS, To nnss MANnisAc:rimane.Y OO'., or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

DBIER.

Application led May 6, 1909, Serial NJ. 494,380. Renewed November 17, 1911. lSerial No. 661,421.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN P. HEss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,l have invented certain new and use :f'ul Improvements in Driers, of which the following is a specification.

This ,invention relates to clothes driers and has for its object the provision of an apparatus of this class which is adapted to rapidly dry' the ywet clothes of a washing without damaging the same, and at the same time withdraw the lint removed from the clothes during the process of drying.l

The invention consists in providing a roormed of perforat'ed vmaterial or wire screen through which air may be forced durlng the rotation of said cylinder. Means are, provided Within thecylinder whereby it is divided into a plurality of compartments each adapted to receive the washing of a different family or individual. The periphery of the cylinder is provided with means whereby the clothes may be inserted in one or more of these compartments. Extending from end to end and yprojecting inwardly from the cylindrical wall thereof are a plurality of ribs or blades "which are adapted to engage with the clothes contained w1th1n the cylinder, and as the cylinder is revolved about its axis, the clothes arelifted thereby and carriedto the upper part of the cylinder where gravity w1ll cause them to drop' to the bottom of the cylinder again where they will be again engaged by the blades and again lifted, the operation bein repeated until the clothes are thoroug 1y drled. Obviously as -the clothes drop from the inwardly extending blades to the bottom of the cylinder, they will spread open. Opposite the lower part of t e cylinder are. one or more pipes each having nipples terminating in openings opposite each of said com- Vpartments, means being provided whereby eated air is forced through these pipes and fronrithese openings into the interior of the various compartments in the path of the downwardly'falling clothes. This inrush from .these ipesa'ssists the spreading of the clothes continually dropping from the upper part of the cylinder to the lower part "thereof, this spreading out of the clothes effecting a more rapid drying of the same. Opposite the upper part of the cylinder is another pipe' provided with a plurality of nipples terminating in openings one of which at least is opposite each of the compartments in therotary cylinder. This pipe is connected to a fan ada ted to create a suction in this pipe and withdraw any lint which may chance to collect during the process of drying in the upper part of the rotary cylinder or the casing thereto.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings and the claims hereinafter given.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 representsa side elevation of a drier embodying the features of the present invention. Flg. 2 represents an end elevation showing the devices for forcing air into said drier casing. Fig. 3 represents an end elevation showing the devices for exhausting the air from the drier casing, andthe mechanism for driving t-he drier cylinder. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of the drier cylinder with certain parts broken away. Fig. 5 represents an end elevation of the dr1er cyllnder. Fig.

A6 represents a vertical sectional view taken through the drier cylinder. Fig. 7 represents a detail sectional view of a portion of the drier cylinder. Fig. 8 represents an enlarged detail sectional view showing the con. struction of the driercylinder, and Fig. 9. represents a longitudinal sectional view taken through the drier and its inclosing casing.

Similar characters designate like arts throughout the several gures of the rawlngs.

Inethe drawings,y 1 represents a suitable casing preferably cylindrical, the cylindrical wall of which is provided with a plurality of doors 2 and 3 connected to the body portion of said casing b means of hinges 4, said doors being provi ed with a plurality of handles 5 by which they may be opened when it is desired to gain access to the interior of the casing. The casing 1 is supported on legs 51.

Each end of the casing 1 is provided with suitable bearings. adapted to receive the trunnions 161 secured to the end lates y14 and 15,0f the rotary cylinder 10 a apted to be' revolved about the axis of said trunnions 161 within the casing 1. These end plates 14 and 15 are connected together by means Patented Mar. 19, 1912.-

of a plurality of bars or blades 11, these bars or blades extending from one end plate 14 to the other. 15 at the peripheries thereof.

Interposed. between the end,plates 14 and 15 are a plurality of partitions 12, these partitions dividing the cylinder into a plurality of compartments each adapted to receive the wash of a separatefamily or individual so that the various washings will not be mixed during the process of drying. The entire cylinder is inclosed by means of a perforated jacket 16 preferably vmade up of av wire screen extending from one end plate 14 to the other 15 and through. which air may freely circulate through vthe various compartments formed within the cylinder 10. The peripheral walll of the cylinder 10 is provided with the normally closed doors 18 connected thereto by vhinges 19, these 'doors being covered with a wire screen or other perforated material and providing a means of insertion or' removing the clothes from the various compartments.

The inner ends of each ofthe blades 11 are rounded over so that they will not present any sharp corners that are liable to injure the .clothes as they are tossed about while the cylinder is lbeing rotated during the process of drying. These blades may extend inwardly from the peripheral wall of the cylinder 10 a'greater or less distancewithout altering the principles of the present invention. Preferably the faces of the blades-11 are covered with rubber strips 111.

secured thereto in anywell-known manner as indicated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, these strips 111 serving as a cushion adapted to minimize the danger of injury to the clothes with whichthey contact. The strips 111 are secured to the blades 11 with their upper faces more or less corrugated or curved as indicated in said Fig. 7'so that the clothesl resting thereon will be more or less in frictional contact therewith and consequently in the rotation of the cylinder or drum. 10 these clothes will be carried nearer the center ofthe upper part of the cylinder before, they drop by gravity into the lower part thereof. than would be thecase ifthe faces ofthe blades 11 were perfectly smooth.

Through each of the blades 111 extends aplurality of cords or ropes 101, which cords or'vropes pass .through each of the blades 11 completelyaround the 'inner wall of the cyl-, inder 10. The purposeA of these cords or ropes is to vprevent the clothes from becoming injured liv-impact with said perforated: ese cords or ropes.` form a grating whichA performs the 'useful function of supporting-,the clothes andlreep-.f .ing them away from thewire scream-so that' jacket or screen 16.

the buttons on the clothes inot be caught bythe wire screen and be broken or `t'orn o' the clothes. If the .machinebe used with 'articles nothaving buttonssuch clothes supoutlets 7, 8,'and9 opposite the various compartments and closely adjacent to the pei riphery of the cylinder 10 so -that when air .is forced through the pipesy 20, 21, and 2 2, and therefrom .through the outlets 7, 8, and

9, this heated air will pass upwardly inta transverse direction and will act-uponthe clothes beingcarried by the blades 11 during the rotation of the cylinder 10 to the upper part thereof and dropped by gravity into the path of the inrush' of heated air from the nipples or openings 7, 8,.and 9, j

The pipes 20, 21 and 22 are connected with ,a union orjoint 23, the opposite` endof which connects toV a fan 24 having an inlet pipe 25. source of supply is forced by means of 'the fan 24 throughv the various pipes 20, 21, and 22, andthrough the nipples or'openings 8, and 9 into the rotarycylinde-rlO.

Above the casing 1 .is an exhaust pipe 26 provided with a plurality of'nipples tfeX- tending through the walls of said casing 1,

one ofsaid nipples being opposite each of the compartments in said casing and providedwith an opening through which the ailis permitted to be exhausted'from the casing. 1 j

In-the drying of clothes, lint is removed therefrom and collects in the upper part of 'the cylinder or casing and 1s vwithdrawn through the pipe 26, a suction being created therein bymeans of a fanconnected with the bent end 27 thereof andprovided with an outlet 29.

The cylinder 10 is rotated by means of a gear 17 secured to one of thetrunnions 161 and meshing with a pinio 33 vfixed toa shaft -31' mounted in a-sui able bracket 32 lfastened to -oneend of the casing 1, said shaft 31 having also secured. thereto the driving pulley 30 by which rotary motion is imparted to the pinion 33 by means of the beltl35` froml any suitable source of power. Another pinion 34 also engages with 'the' 'gear 17 diametrically opposite togthe pinion this pinion 34 providlngal means Whereby the gear *17. may be ,driven without .danger of.. `being forced out of valinement with thejpinio'n v'33'. When motion is vthus -imparted to the drier cylinder 10, the clothes containedi-withinthe cylinder will be lifted by means'of the blades 11 and carriedtothe, upper part of the cylinder where-they will Heated air from any suit-able eov 4 the heated airbein yforced in through the bottom of the eylin er and all ofthe clothes contained inI the cylinder will successively come .under the influence of the heated air from these feed pipes and at the same` time come under theginfluence of the suction of the exhaust fan thereby carrying awayany lint whichmay have been removed from the clothes during the drying process.

Theoeration ofthe inventlon 1s as `i'ollows: T e doors 2 and 3 of the casing 1` partments v01"; the rotary cylinder 10. Various washinge are separated and each dif \fere1 1t'washing` yis inserted in a 4diii'erent i compartment within/ the cylinder 10. The

doors 18, 2 and-3 are then closed and power is applied through the belt "to `rotate the drier cylinder about 4the axis ofthe trjinnipns 16.1. As the cylinder 10 revolves aliit 'its a'xisjthevarious inwardly extending b1ades"11 will engage with the clothes an'dlliftthem to the upper part of the cylinder "where they will be permitted to drop 'by gravity into the lower part. At the same time' that rotai'ymotion v1s imparted to the ydrier cylinder 1 0, the heated air forcingfan and the' exhaust fan are rotated, the heated air being forced through the various pipesV 20, 21 andv 22 .and from theopenin'gs 7, 8 and 9 transverselyv through the various compartments of the rotary cylinder,the .varions streams of heated air acting upon the clothes continually droppin of the compartments, ',ra i 1y drying .the same. This heated air la en with the moisture received from'the wet clothes with which it has come into contact is sucked throu h the nipples 6 into the exhaust pipe 26 an through the exhaust fan into the delivery spout 29. As soon as the clothes in the diiferent compartments 'have become thoroughly dried the rotary movement of the fans and driercylinder 10 is stopped and the :clothes are removed from the various com artments and a new batch inserted witiiin said compartment.

The drawings forming a partI of the application are sim ly for illustrative purpose and are not rawn to a scale, and it is obvious that the mechanism may be varied therefrom without altering the principles of the present invention.

Itis believed that from the foregoing the operation and, many advantages of the inclaim:

` 11.,In aclot-hgas4 drier, the combination of` ,.acasingg a drier cylinder rotatably "sup- "p'ortedtherein and provided with a plufrom the top peripheral jacket; meansfor rotating.l

from said casing.l

ralit of .compartments each of which is provide with means -for the admission o air thereto; lan air lsupply, pipe provided with a plurality of outlets therefrom, lone opposite to each compartment; and means for expelling -air from said drier.

2. In a clothes drier, the combination of a casing; a drier cylinder rotatably sup orted therein and provided with a' plurality of compartments each of which 1s provided with means for the admission pf air thereto;a series of air supply pipes each provided Awith a plurality of outlets therefrom, one opposite to' each compartment; 'and means for expelling air from said drier.

3. In a clothes drier, the combination of a casing having a series fof parallel openings in its wall; a series of air supply pipes communicating with saidopenings; a fan for forcing air through said pipes; a drier cyl'- inder rotatable within said casing and provided vvith a perforated jacket; means foi' rotating said cylinder; and means for exhausting air .from said casing. y v

4. In a clothes drier, thecombination of a casing havinga series of parallel openings in its wall; a series of air supply pipes communicating with said openings;l a fan for forcing air through said pipes; a drier cyl-v inder rotatable lwithin said casing and pro.

vided with a wire screen jacket;'means for rotating said-cylinder; and means for exhausting air from said casing.

5. In a clothes drier, the combination of alcasing having a series of parallel openings in its wall; a series of air supply pipes communicating with said openings; a fan for forcing air through said-pipes; a drier cylinder rotatable'within said casing and provided with a wire screenjacket; means for rotating said cylinder; and an exhaust fan for exhaustin air from said casing.

6. In a clot es drier, the combination -o."

acasing having a series ofopenings in itsv wall; an air supply pipe communicating with'said openings; means for forcing air through vsaid ipe; a drier cylinder rotatable w'ithin said casing and provided with av perforated peripheral jacket; means for rotating said cylinder; and means forexhausting the air from said casin 7. In a clothes drier, the com ination of a casing having a seriesv of openings in its wall; an air supply pipe communicating with said openings; means for forcing air through said pipe and transversely of said casing; a drier cylinder rotatable within said" casing and provided with a perforated cylinder; and means for exhausting e air 8. In a vclothes vided with a series of ojenin'gsin ite wall.; a drier cylinder rrotata e within said vcassaid drier, a casing havin'. doors-hinged Ato the wall't-hereof and pr ing; and two pipes each communicating with kseries of openings through the wall of j said casing through one of which pipesair lli() is forced into thedrier cylinder and through the other of which pipes the air is withdrawn from said casin `9. In a clothes drier, a casing having doors hinged to the wall thereof; a drier cylinder rotatable within said casing and providedwith a plurality of compartments therein; and a .plurality of inwardly extending blades within said drier adapted to lift the clothes during the rotation of the.

drier cylinder tothe upper part of said cylinder and then permit them to drop by gravity. v

10. ln a clothes drier, a casing provided with a series of lopenings in its wall; lal

i drier cylinder ro-tatable within said ',casing;

ai l two pipes each lCommunicating with series of openings through the wall of said casing through one of which pipes air is forced into the drier cylinder and through the "other of which pipes the air is withdrawn from said casing.

11.. ln a clothes drier, a casing; a drier cylinder rotatable within said casing provided with a lurality of air supply openings, and provided with a plurality of compartments one opposite each of said openings; a feed pipe communicating with said openings; a fan adapted to force air through said pipe and openings; an-exhaust pipe ysaid jacket in close proximity thereto.

13.' linfa clothes drier, a caslnghaving a plurality of openings through the wall thereof; means for forcing air through a" portion of said openings into the interior of said" casing; within said casing and provided with a perforated jacket; and a plurality of ropes positioned within vsaid jacket and extending 'over the inner vwall of said yjacket and in.V

close proximitythereto.v l i IM. ln a clothes drier, a casing having a plurality offopenings through the wall thereof; means .for forcing air through a portion of said openings into the. interior ofsaid casing; a. drier cylinderlrotatable withinsaid casing and provided `with a erforated' jacket; "a plurality of lifting hlades extending longitudinally ofthe inner wall" of said jacket; and al plurality of clothes supporting'membersfsecured thereto a drier .cylinder rotatable toegeeft 'and form-ing a grating over the inner wall of said acket and in close proximity thereto,

15. In a `clothes drier, a casing havinga plurality of openings through the wall thereof; means for forcing air through a portion of said openings into the interior of said casing.; a drier cylinder rotatable within said casing and provided withy a perforated jacket; anda clothes supporting grating extending `over the inner wall of said jacket.

16. In a clothes drier, an outer cylinder having a series of parallel openings in its body wall; a series of feed `pipes for supplying air connected with the cylinder through the openings; an air forcing fan having connection with the feed pipes; a drier cylinder having a wire mesh jacket located rotatably within the outer cylinder; means for rotating the drier cylinder; an

'exhaust fan connected with the outer cylinders; and doors arranged'in the outer cylinder.

17. ln a clothes drier, an outer cylinder having doorshinged to its body wall; a drier-cylinder rotatable within the outer cylinder, said drier cylinder being provided with a series of clothes compartments and said outer cylinder being formed with a series lof feed openings and a series of exhaust openings communicating with'the compartments; a series of feed pipes communicating 'with the feed openings; anv exhaust pipe connecting with the exhaust openings; an

air' forcing fan located on the feedl pipes;

and an. air `exhaust fan located on the exhaust' pipe. l

18.1Iny aclothes drier, an outer casing having doors .hinged thereto and a series of air feed openings arranged in parallel f rows and l a series of educt. openings arranged in arow spaced apart from the feed openings; a series of connected feed pipes communicating with the feed openings; an exhaust pipe connected with the exhaust '.popenings; an air fan connected with the ex-v haust pipe; an air fan connected with the feed pipes; a driercylinder movable withinV the outercylinder having partitioned compartments communicating with the feed and 'exhaust openings of the outer cylinder;- a. wiremesh jacket formedl on the drier cylinder; and a series of spacing ropes mounted on thel drier cylinder adjacent to the wire mesh jacket.

19. A clothes drier, comprising a rot-ary drum divided transversely into individual compartments provided with means for continually lifting'and dropping 'the clothes in .said compartments, and having a Ascreenlike peripheryvv through which hot air may be driven, combined with meansffor introducing hot air 'transversely through said periphery into' eachlcompartment separately as` the drum rotates; and means for collect- 25' Y ries of individual compartments; litters in and withdrawing the lint and moisturela en air after it has passed throughv the clothes.

20. A clothes drier, comprising a' rotary drum having a peripheral screen throughr which hot air may be driven; litters set radially lengthwise ofsaid drum for carrying the clothes up from the bottom approximately to the top as the drum is rotated and ermitting the clothes to open out and drop y gravity; air-connin 4means located adjacent the lower side o said drum for de- 'livering hot air under pressure at a single restricted region transversely through said peripheral screen underneath said falling clothes for removing the moisture from the clothes as they fall; av housing inclosing said y drum for collecting the moisture-laden air as it escapes from the drum; and outlet means for withdrawing the air and lint from Isaid housing.

U21. A clothes drier, comprising a rotary drum having a peri heral screen through which hot `air may Iba driven; transverse partitions separating said drum into a sefset radially lengthwise of4 said drum for 4carrying the clothes up from the bottom approximately to the to as the drum is rotated and permitting t e cloths to open out and drop by gravity; means for delivering a separate jet of hot air transversely through Said screen into each compartment for re- -n1oving the moisture from the clothes as the fall; a housing inclosing said drum for col ecting the moisture-laden air as it escapes from the drum; and outlet means for withdrawin the air and lint from said housin' an discharging said air and lint from t e apparatus.

22. In a clothes drier, a casing having openings therein; means for supplying hot air to said openings; a chambered l v y' inder rotatably supported in the outer cyl- 45 rier cylinder; means for forcing air separately to each compartment of said. chambered cylv inder; and means for exhausting air from Said drier. V

23. A clothes drying machine having in v`combinationa casing, a horizontal cylinder having a screen-like eriphery mounted to rotate within said caslng, clothes lifting devices extending inwardly from's'aid peripher air conducting means having openings adjacent to thebottom of the periphery of said cylinder to inject air through the same,

. and an air outlet in said casing.

24. A clothes vdrying machine having in combination a casing, a horizontal cylinder having a screen-like periphery mounted to rotate within said casing, partitions dividing said cylinder vertically into a plurality 0f compartments, airfinlets adjacent to said periphery'and locatedopposite to said compartments, and an air outlet in said casing.

25. A clothes drying machine having in combination a casing, a horizontal cylinder having a screen-like periphery mounted to rotate within said casing, clothes liftin devices within said cylinder, partitions dividing said cylinder vertically into compartments, air conducting means having openings adjacent to said periphery and opposite said compartments.

26. A clothes drying machine having in combination a casing, a horizontal cylinder having a screen-like periphery `mounted to rotate in said casing, ropes arran ed cir'- cumferentiall within said cylin er and means for o setting said ropes from said periphery.

27. A clothes drying machine having in combination a casing, a horizontal cylinder having a screen-like periphery mounted to rotate in said casing, air conducting devices having openings adjacent to the bottom of Said cylinder, a clothes su porting gratin offset from the inside of sald periphery, an an air outlet in said basing.

28. A clothes drying machine having in combination a casing, a horizontal cylinder having a screen-like periphery mounted to rotate Within said casing, air inlets closely adjacent to the bottom of said cylinder and exterior to its periphery to inject a current of air into and across said cylinder, devices pn the inside of the circumference of said cylinder to liftthe clothes as the cylinder rotates and drop them through the current of air.

29. A clothes drying machine having in combination a rotatably mounted horizontal cylinder having screen-like walls and a clothes supporting grating otlset from said walls whereby the clothes are kept away from said walls.

30. A clothes` drying machine having in combination a casing, a horizontal cylinder mounted to rotate within said casing and having screen-like walls, and clothes supporting means offset from said walls whereby the clothes are kept away from said Walls.

31. Avclothes drying machine having in combination a rotatably mounted horizontal cylinderhaving a screen-like periphery and a clothes supportin grating ollsetfrom the inside of sai perip ery whereby the clothes `are ykept away from vsaid periphery.

l32. A clothes drying machine having in combination a casing, a horizontal cylinder mounted to rotate within said casing and having a screen-like periphery and-a clothes supporting grating offset from the inside of said periphery whereby the clothes are kept away fromsaid periphery.

33. A clothes drying machine having in combination a casing, a horizontal cylinder mounted to rotate within the said casing and having a screen-like periphery, clothes 'I supporting means oset from seid geriphery, and clothes lifting devices in sei cylincombination a casing, a horizontal" cylinder mounted to rotate Within the said cesingand having u, screen-like periphery, clothes supporting means offset from said periphery,

eir inlets closely adjacent to the exterior of said periphery to inject e current of eir into.

gaeeeeee and across said cyliner, anal devices on the inside ofthe circumference of said cylinder to lift the clothes as the cylinder rotates and drop them through the current ,of air. and :15 ontosnid clothes supporting ineens.-

In' testimony whereof l :rmx Jmysigne-- ture, in presence of two witnesses.

' FRANKLIN P, HESS; g Witnesses:

ARTHUR W. Wrrmnr, ARTHUR E. Surrey. 

